Note: This article was edited to reflect that the trailer was not at full capacity while being towed.
A motor vehicle incident occurred by Jones Road on the Trans Canada Highway north of Ladysmith after a trailer broke loose from the vehicle towing it.
Traffic was slowed and condensed to one lane between Ladysmith and Oyster Bay.
The vehicle was a 2002 Nissan Xterra, which has a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. The trailer was a dump trailer with a 10,000 pound towing capacity. The trailer was not at full capacity, however consensus among emergency services is that the trailer was overloaded, and that the age of the vehicle was a factor in the trailer coming loose. The driver of the vehicle asked to remain anonymous.
“I was going about 70 clicks an hour, heard a big bang, and started going sideways,” the driver said.
The vehicle and trailer impacted the meridian on the right side of the Trans Canada. The driver was uninjured, and is grateful that the meridian is in place, otherwise he would have rolled down the hill to Rocky Creek Road below.
ICBC will conduct an investigation on the vehicle to determine the cause of the incident.